Motor vehicles typically incorporate cooling systems to maintain a desired operating temperature of an associated internal combustion engine. While some motor vehicles are air cooled, most vehicles employ liquid or coolant based cooling systems. Typically, such a cooling system circulates coolant through passageways in the engine and include a thermostat located between the engine and a radiator. The thermostat generally includes a thermostatic valve that is configured to block a flow of coolant to the radiator until the engine has reached a predetermined operating temperature. These cooling systems and engines typically carry various contaminants including, but not limited to, machining chips and/or sand, rubber and other debris. Such contaminants may be carried by the coolant and impinge on the thermostat, which may damage the thermostat in general and specifically the thermostatic valve over time. Thus, while conventional thermostats work for their intended purpose there remains a need for improvement in the relevant art.